Vehicle-cleaning device.



PATENTED AUG. 11, 1908.

E. P. GAYLORD. vEEIcLE CLEANING DEVICE.

APPLICATION TILED OCT. 5, 1906.

ldl d lllllvllll wanna EDWIN P. GAYL'ORD, QF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

VEHIGLE-OLEANIN G DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 11, 1908.

Application filed October 5, 1906. Serial No. 337,564.

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN P. GAYLORD,

of Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vehicle- Cleaning Devices; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the specification, and to the referencenumerals marked thereon.

My present invention relates to improvements in devices of the kind particularly adapted to the cleaning of vehicles, and for similar purposes, and it relates more especially to that class of cleaning devices having a cleaning medium such as a sponge,- arranged to be supplied continuously or from time to time with liquid from a suitable source, and the object of the present invention is to provide a device of this kind having novel devices for securing the sponge or other cleaning medium in operative position, the securing means being so constructed and arranged as to enable the sponge to be readily attached to and detached from the device, and, which, when in operative position, will be automatically secured and held from displacement, the sponge being so arranged relatively to the source of liquid supply that the liquid will be confined to the sponge, enabling the device to be manipulated without the danger of soiling the clothes of the operator.

To these and other ends the invention consists in certain improvements and combinations of parts, all as will be hereinafter more fully explained, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the end of the specification.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 represents a longitudinal section of a fountain cleaning device constructed in accordance with my invention, the sponge or cleaning medium being shown secured in operative position. the device with the follower retracted to enable the sponge to be applied or removed therefrom, and Fig. 3 represents a top plan figures indicate similar parts.

Fig. 2 represents an elevation of for similar purposes, and it comprises generally a nozzle 1 which serves as a shank or handle for the manipulation of the device, having a coupling member 2 arranged at one end thereof and adapted to be connected to an ordinary hose leading from a suitable source of liquid supply, the opposite end of this nozzle having a discharge 3 froniwhich the liquid supplied to the nozzle is adapted to be projected, this discharge being preferably provided with a sprinkler in the form of a perforated head or strainer 4 for spreading the liquid into a spray. The exterior of this nozzle has a portion preferably of substantially uniform diameter to form a guide way extending lon itudinally between the discharge end an the coupling member 2 of the nozzle, and fitted over this nozzle is a follower 5 having a hub 6 which isv uided on and arranged to operate longitudinally on the guide way of the nozzle, a rib 7 extending longitudinally of the guide and serving as a key to cooperate with a corresponding recess 8 formed in the hub of the follower to prevent rotation thereof as it operates in adirection axially of the nozzle. This follower embodies, in the present instance, a face plate 9, preferably of metal or other rigid material, dished in form and having a cup 10 fitted against its rear surface, this cup eing preferably composed of soft rubber or other flexible material, ha." its flanged edge surrounding, and turne toward the direction of discharge of the nozzle in order that it may cooperate with the sponge or other cleaning medium as a support therefor and as a packing, to prevent relatively rearward or lateral escape of the liquid discharged from the nozzle, and also serving to protect the varnished or painted parts of the vehicle from damage by contact with the metallic parts of the device.

late by means of hollow rivets 11, the latter Eeing extended through apertures in the plate 9 and headed on the forward surface thereof and extending through the rubber cup and headed on the rear surface of the latter. This follower by reason of its movement axially of the nozzle, serves to operate the securing devices which engage and release the sponge, and these securing devices in the present form of the invention, comprise a set of gripping members 12, each of these members being composed of a pair of divergently-arranged, branched arms which extend through the hollow rivets 11 on the This cup is attached to the follower follower as operating guides, and are provided at their freeends with suitably shaped claws or gripping fingers 13, the intermediate bend of these arms being pivoted in the lugs or cars 14 formed on the coupling member or other relatively fixed art of the nozzle.

The radial distance between the axis of the nozzle and the guides formed by the rivets 11 on the follower, is greater than the distance between the pivotal points of the securing members, and said axes, so that when the follower occupies a position similar to that shown in Fig. 1, the-claws or gripping fingers on the securing members will be in approximated position, serving to firmly secure the sponge mop or other cleaning medium in co- 0 erative relation with the discharge end of t e nozzle. However, when the follower is retracted or drawn into the position shown in Fig. 2, the divergent relation of the arms of the gripping devices will cause the latter to be spread or separated, so that the cleaning medium may be conveniently applied or removed relatively to the nozzle after the follower has been appropriately operated.

In order to enable the device to be handled readily, it is preferable to provide automatic means for operating-the gripping members to clamp and hold the cleaning medium automatically, and this is accom plished in the present instance by means of a helical spring 15 which encircles the exterior of the nozzle, and having one end resting against the shoulder formed by the hose coupling member while its opposite end bears against the follower, the compression of the spring serving to normally operate the follower toward the discharge end of the nozzle to proximate or draw together the gripping fingers, the action of t 's spring serving to retain the follower in such a position and thereby prevent disenga ement or displacement of the sponge or c eaning device relatively to the nozzle. The cup on the follower at thistime will also obtain a firm seating against the adjacent surface of the sponge to formfa liquid seal that will confine the li uid to the inclosed.area of the sponge so that it may be absorbed thereby, and the flange of the cup isso directed that the water cannot splash rearwardly or toward the operator. As the pressure acting on the follower is a yielding one, it enables the device to securely clamp mops, sponges or other cleaning devices of different sizes, and at the same time, the protecting cup will be pressed into cooperative relation with the cleaning medium with "a yielding pressure, thereby enabling the cup to' seat itself properly, and .the s ring of course serves the dual purpose of 100 g the securing members in cooperative relation with the cleaning me-- dium, as well as holding the cup and follower firmly seated against the cleaning medium.

In the present embodiment of the invention the mop-securing devices are shown and described in combination with a nozzle, the latter serving to create a flow of water through the sponge or mop during the cleaning operation, but the invention is not necessarily limited in this respect.

The sponge or mop-engaging hooks or fingersin the present invention have their engaging prongs bent at an acute angle relatively to the supporting arms, forming bends in the hooks of sufficient size or capacity to receive a considerable ortion of the sponge or mop when the hoo rs are in operated or engaging position by reason of the space thus provided between the bent portions of the hooks and the follower, and this not only enables the sponge to be firmly secured in place, but the increased amount of sponge surrounding the discharge end of the nozzle serves to form a packing to prevent the escape of water in rear of the sponge.

In that form of the invention just described, the discharge end of the nozzle is provided with a sprinkler head which insures thorough saturation of the sponge or mop, and at the same time enables the de vice to be employed as a sprayer by omitting the sponge or mop, but instead of using a discharge of the form just described, a nozzle of the form shown in Fig. 4 may be employed, the discharge end of the nozzle tube aving a double conical valve seat 16 fitted therein, and having an axially adjustable valve rod 17 provided with a conical valve head 18 adapted to cooperate with the rear conical valve seat to control the flow of water through the nozzle, a spreading head 19 being formed on the valve head opposite to the forward conical valve seat for spreading or spraying the water so as to thoroughly saturate the sponge, the valve head serving to restrain the flow of water to the latter;

The valve rod may be operated in any convenient manner, the operating means shown in the present form of the invention embodying a shell 20 secured to the rear end of the nozzle and having an internal thread therein to receive 'nd cooperate with the corresponding threads on the cylindrical extension of the coupling member 21, to which the rod 17 is secured, relative rotation of the coupling member and the nozzle member serving to operate the valve stem and its valve head longitudinally relatively to the valve seat to increase or decrease the amount of water passing through the valve, and the regulation of thewater in this manner is advantageous, as it effects a saving in the conveniently manipulated. The gripping I members 12 in this embodiment are fixed to the shank by being pivoted to a collar which is brazed or otherwise secured to the inner end of the shank.

I claim as my invention:

1'. In a cleaning device, the combination with a tubular shank having a discharge end, a plurality of movable fingers surrounding the shank and fixed thereto at one end, of an op-' erating member cooperating with the fingers and movable longitudinally of the shank to adjust the opposite extremities of said fingers relatively to each other, said member being" formed. and. arranged to cooperate a mop held by the fingers and prevent ,a rearward discharge from themo 2. In a cleaning device the combination with a shank, a plurality of movable fingers disposed around the shank and fixed thereto at one end, of an oplerating member movable longitudinally. on t eshank and cooperating with the fingers to move them relatively in an outward direction when adjusted toward their fixed ends andlto move them inwardly when adjusted in the opposite direction and means for normally moving the member in a direction away from the fixed points of the fingers.

3. In a cleaning device, the combination with a tubular shank having a discharge end, a lurality of fingers extendinglongitudinally o and pivoted to the shank, of an operating member cooperatingwith the fingers at the discharge end of the shank to hold them in proximitythereto, said member beingadapted to be adjusted longitudinally of the shank to move the fingers outwardly and a spring normally operating the member in one direction.

4. In a cleaning device, the combination with a tubular shank having a discharge at one end, of a combined guard and follower mounted to move longitudinally thereof to prevent a rearward discharge from the nozzle, and gripping members on which the follower slldes to operate them, having portions ada ted to cooperate with a mop to secure the atter inposition at the discharge end of the shank.

5. Tn'a cleaning device, the combination with a nozzle, and a set of gripping members attached to relatively fixed portions of the nozzle and having portions adapted to cooperate wlth a mop to secure it in operative position on the discharge end of the nozzle, of a follower movable on and longitudinally 'of the nozzle and cooperating with said surround the discharge opening of the nozzle and to rest against the mo 7. The combination wit a nozzle, and a set of gripping members thereon having portions adapted to cooperate with a mop to secure it in position at the discharge end of the nozzle, of a'follower operable in a direction axially of the nozzle and cooperating with the said members to engage and disengage them relatively -to the mop, and a cup of soft or yielding material secured to the follower for protecting the metallic parts of the device and serving to confine the liquid discharging from the nozzle.

8. The combination with a nozzle, and gripping members thereonhaving portions adapted to cooperate'with a mop to secure it in position at the discharge end of the nozzle, of a follower movable longitudinally of the nozzle and coo erating with said members for operating them to secure the mop when the -follower is operated toward the discharge end of the nozzle, a cup carried by the follower and arranged to cooperate with the back of the mop, and a spring encircling the nozzle and normally operating to move the follower toward the discharge end of the nozzle.

' 9. The combination with a nozzle having a guiding surface formed, on its exterior, an a set of gripping members carried by the nozzle having divergently-extending operatifig arms, and provided with portions adapted to cooperate 'with a mo to secure. it in operative position on the the nozzle, of a follower mounted to operate ischarge end of longitudinally on the guides of the nozzle, a

cup of soft material carried by the follower, and hollow rivets extending through the said cup and'secured to the follower and cooperating as guides with the operating arms of the gripping members for proximatlng and separating the latter as the said follower 1s operated.

10. The combination with a nozzle having a guiding surface thereon, and a. follower mounted to reciprocate on the guiding surface in a direction longitudinally of the nozzle, of gripping members each embodying a wire bent mtermediatelyto form a pair of divergently-arranged branch arms provided with claws at their ends forengaging a mop, the intermediate portion of thewire being pivoted to 'a relatlvely fixed portion of the nozzle, and the brancharms of the members coo erating with the follower, operation of the latter on the nozzle serving to proximateand separate the claws on the said members.

EDWIN P. GAYLORD. 

